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Blackpool Airport
Blackpool airport is an airport being made by Stanpines2007 History The airport site's first aviation use was in October 1909, when the UK's first official public Flying Meeting was held on a specially laid out site at Squires Gate, followed by another in 1910. By 1911 the site had become a racecourse and it was used as a military hospital during the First World War and until 1924. Flights from the site resumed in the early 1930s. Small UK airlines used the airfield during the mid-1930s. Railway Air Services commenced schedules to Blackpool from 15 April 1935, linking the airport with the Isle of Man, Manchester and Liverpool. Connections could be made at the two cities to London and the south and west of England.7 In June 1937, airline operations were transferred to Stanley Park Aerodrome.8 The sister of aviation pioneer Amy Johnson lived in Stanley Park, resulting in her often paying a visit; Johnson's last complete flight was a ferry flight for the ATA from Squires Gate to Oxford. RAF Squires Gateedit RAF Squires Gate in summer 1945. The Vickers factory is top right with 23 Wellington bombers scattered below. Avro Ansons of the No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance can be seen at top and lower right A Royal Air Lao Vickers Viscount at the airport in 1968. Work on enlarging and improving the airfield and facilities began in late 1937, but the aerodrome was requisitioned by the Air Ministry in 1938.10 Three bituminous runways were laid to support operations, with squadrons stationed at RAF Squires Gate during the Second World War including:11 No. 63 Squadron, September 1939 to January 1940 No. 75 Squadron, September 1939 to January 1940 No. 215 Squadron, September 1939 to January 1940 No. 96 Squadron No. 256 Squadron RAF Coastal Command also established an operational base on site, and expanded RAF Warton to act as a satellite airfield. Training wingedit The RAF also selected Blackpool as one of its training wings due to the availability of accommodation. With training based between Squires Gate and the British Army camps at Weeton and Kirkham,12 by utilising: the large number of guest houses; plus the beaches, pier and the Winter Gardens for exercising; 769,673 recruits received their basic training at Blackpool. The RAF also established two specialist training schools: No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance No. 5 School of Technical Training, for air mechanics Vickers shadow factoryedit The Ministry of Aircraft Production erected a shadow aircraft factory during 1939-1940 in the north-east corner of the airfield to enable Vickers-Armstrong to operate an aircraft production facility at Squires Gate. This produced 2,584 Wellington medium bombers, several hundred of which were assembled and flown from Stanley Park Aerodrome before landing at Squires Gate for testing and delivery. The first was completed in September 1940 and the last in October 1945, when the factory closed.13 The factory was reopened by Hawker Aircraft in the mid-1950s to augment the production of Hawker Hunter jet fighters, under contract SP/6ACFT/9817/CB 7a.9 Many Hunters were also built for the Swedish Air Force. Post-war yearsedit A Jersey European Short 360 at the airport in the late 1990s. Scheduled flights were resumed by Isle of Man Air Services in summer 1946. Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and other private airlines established their bases at the airport from 1946 onwards. By 1949, the airfield was controlled by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and renamed Blackpool Airport. Princess Diana & Cllr David Owen, Blackpool Airport, 2 July 1991 Prior to 2004, when the airport was sold to City Hopper Airports Limited, the airport was owned and operated by Blackpool Borough Council who were losing £1 million per year before the £13 million sale3 Speaking about the sale Julian Kearsley, strategic director of business services at the town hall, who helped broker the deal, said: "The airport is a key element in terms of developing the new Blackpool. "It is not as if the council has sold off the family silver and lost any role in this. We wish to see the terminal continue as an airport as part of our ambitious plans for revitalising the whole area. This deal will see more jobs, it will save the council money and it protects the employment of people already there."3 Coun Roy Fisher, leader of Blackpool Council, said: "The sale of Blackpool Airport once agreed will be great news for everyone in Blackpool."3 Coun Robert Wynne, portfolio holder for partnerships, business and companies, added: "A year ago the council set itself specific targets with regard to Blackpool Airport, we wanted more flights, particularly those that brought people to the town, we wanted more quality jobs and we wanted a better deal for the council taxpayer. This agreement fulfils all those objectives. We will end up with a much better and busier airport at no cost whatsoever to the council taxpayer."3 Development of the airport between 2005 and 2010edit In the first decade of the 21st century, the airport steadily expanded, accommodating helicopter operations for British Gas, and attracting scheduled flights from budget airlines, Jet2 and Ryanair and also scheduled services by smaller operators to the Isle of Man. Since World War II, the airport has also been a centre for private, club and general aviation. In 2005, Jet2 became the first major low cost airline to base an aircraft at Blackpool Airport.14 This created around 50 new jobs and boosted passenger numbers. It used to serve seven destinations from the airport – five in Spain and the Canaries (Palma, Alicante, Murcia, Tenerife South, Málaga) and one in Portugal (Faro). Jet2 also offers a domestic service to Belfast RAF Hawk jet at Blackpool Airport (2008). General Aviation area at Blackpool Airport (2004). Also in 2005, Monarch set up a new route to Málaga, three times a week. After a year though the airline ceased services, blaming low passenger numbers as the reason. However, Jet2.com had earlier announced that it would be operating flights to Málaga. Until January 2006 an Avro Vulcan bomber (serial number: XL391) was on static external display close to the entrance to the airport. XL391's last operational role was at Ascension Island during the Falklands conflict in 1982, however, it only flew as a backup aircraft and never actually went to the Falklands. It was put up for sale in October 2004 on eBay and purchased by Manchester pub landlord Chris Ollerenshaw (for £15,102.03) who had intentions to transport it to his pub and display it in his beer garden.15 However, after finding out that the condition of the aircraft was so poor that moving it would be extremely challenging and that it would cost over £20,000 in addition to the reported £1000 a week storage charge,16 Mr Ollerenshaw pulled out of the deal and later relinquished ownership of the plane back to the airport.17 The Vulcan was then sold on for scrap for £4,800 and was scrapped and completely removed from the site on 12 January 2006.18 During 2006, British North West Airlines, the smallest airline based at Blackpool has, according to its website, stopped trading for both charter and scheduled flights. Flights to the Isle of Man are now operated by Citywing, who are now flying the route up to three times a day with an onward connection to Belfast City. Citywing has brought low fares to the Isle of Man and Belfast routes and passenger numbers on these route vastly increased in January 2007. With the growth of the airport, a new carrier, the ACMI company, Jetstream Executive, operating under the name, Jetstream Express, introduced flights in 2007 from the airport to Belfast City Airport (from May), Aberdeen Airport (from June) and Southampton Airport (from July). The Belfast route was in competition with Jet2.com, who operate twice daily between Blackpool and Belfast International Airport. Two Jetstream 31s were based at the airport. However, in June 2007 a notice appeared on the Jetstream Express website stating – "With immediate effect, Jetstream Express have ceased operating the routes to Blackpool, Aberdeen, Southampton and Belfast", adding that all flights were withdrawn as the routes have not proved viable. In 2007, Jet2 cancelled its Prague and Amsterdam services blaming insufficient passenger numbers as the reason to suspend the route. The airport was owned and operated by City Hopper Airports Limited, which also owns Wolverhampton Airport and Biella Airport in Italy, until January 2007, being placed under new management after one of its two major shareholders bought out its partner. MAR Properties Ltd agreed terms to take over full control of Blackpool and Wolverhampton Airports.19 In May 2008, it was announced that Balfour Beatty, who also owned Exeter Airport and Derry Airport, had purchased MAR Property's 95% stake in the airport; the remaining 5% stake was held by Blackpool Borough Council.5 On 6 May 2008, Balfour Beatty bought the 95% stake of the airport off CityHopper Airports Ltd for £14million.4 The construction company also owns Exeter Airport and they stated that one of their top priorities is to re-establish a link to London,20 which Blackpool lost in 2007 when Ryanair discontinued its Stansted route. On 18 July 2008, the Blackpool Gazette announced that Jet2 planned to suspend its daily service from Blackpool to Belfast International for the winter. A dip in passenger numbers and the rising price of oil has taken its toll on the service. According to the newspaper, Jet2 will restart the daily Belfast service from March 2009.21 In the summer of 2008 Ryanair announced a large cut in capacity at a number of airports, including Stansted, from October 2008 to March 2009, although Blackpool was not affected by these cuts.21 However, on 25 November 2008 Ryanair announced the intention to withdraw all flights from 5 January 2009 following the airport's introduction of a £10 per person Airport Development Fee.2223 After the £10 Airport Development Fee was introduced at the start of 2009, a new airline was sought to replace Ryanair on its very popular route to Dublin. Aer Arann were their successors and commenced operations shortly after. The short hop over the Irish Sea is operated 4 times a week by either an ATR 42 or the larger ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. The route has proven to be very popular and has the possibility of catching a connecting flight to New York directly from Dublin. The airline has since entered a franchise agreement with Aer Lingus and the route now operates under the Aer Lingus Regional brand. The flight is fully operated by Aer Lingus Regional but has a codeshare partnership with sister company Aer Lingus and Etihad Airways from the United Arab Emirates. Section heading Write the second section of your page here. [[Category:Airport]